NEEDLE CLINIC OPENING IN WALKERTON

Information Sessions Held To Reassure Employees

A needle exchange clinic will soon open at the Walkerton offices of
the Grey Bruce Health Unit, which is located in the Bruce County
administration building.

Two information sessions were held last month to reassure county
employees at the Park Street building that the clinic was safe.

Similar needle exchange clinics began at the health unit and the
Victorious Living Centre in Owen Sound last August, as well as at
Grant's Pharmacy in Hanover.

"Initially we were cautious. But (now) we've all been educated and
provided with the information and know what it's all about," said
Bettyanne Cobean, Bruce County's clerk treasurer, during a committee
of the whole meeting on Thursday. "Once they have come in and made
the needle exchange, it's unlikely they are going to utilize the
product on our premises. They would quickly be on their way."

Injection drug use is an increasing concern in small towns and rural
communities including Grey Bruce, said Denna Leach, program manager
for the health unit. There are more than 100 needle exchange programs
in Canada. In Ontario, 34 programs distribute needles to an
estimated 41,000 people who inject drugs.

In Ontario, needle exchange programs are a mandatory public health
program in areas where injection drug use is recognized as a problem
in the community.

Leach said the aim of the program is to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS
and other blood borne diseases such as Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B.

"In Grey Bruce alone we have about 55 new cases of Hepatitis C in our
region annually," said Leach, adding, "we know that if people are
reusing or sharing syringes and other equipment in injection drug
use, it increases their risk to Hepatitis C."

Although there's an estimated 300 injection drug users in Grey-Bruce
Leach said only about 50 exchanges took place between August and
December of last year in the Owen Sound area. To date only two
exchanges have taken place at the Hanover pharmacy.

In addition to supplying clean needles and drug paraphernalia used to
facilitate safe injection, the clinic also collects and disposes used
needles and supplies, offers information and condoms and provides
referrals to drug and alcohol treatment centres when requested.

"We can do testing of blood borne diseases. We can do a full scope of
service for the individual such as HIV, Hepatitis A and provide
vaccination for Hepatitis A and B vaccinations at our Walkerton site,
a bit broader service than would be provided at the pharmacy," Leach
said.

Cobean said part of the information sessions put on by the health
unit included a survey of similar programs offered in clinics located
in other public buildings which was reassuring and indicated there
were no reasons for concern. Leach said the program in Walkerton is
expected to start in a couple of weeks and will operate as part of
the sexual health clinic at the health unit offices on Monday and
Friday from noon to 4 p.m. More information is available by calling
519-372-5952.